Frank Lampard has two years remaining on his contract with Chelsea, but with the option to buy himself out of the deal under FIFA's new transfer rules, he said Thursday that he finds it "strange" that the club have not sought to secure his services. Lampard wants to earn what Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, the top earners at Stamford Bridge, make: $260,000 a week. Lampard earns $160,000 and was reportedly offered $220,000.

With pre-season training camp set to open on Monday, Lampard says he is frustrated that negotiations have been suspended for more than a month. "It feels strange," Lampard said at the launch of a new skills program on Thursday. "It is something I am trying to keep my mind off. When you have had a long season, the last thing you want to do is go away for a month and wreck your holiday by stressing over too many things. My mind at the moment is going back preseason with Chelsea. I said after the Cup Final that I wanted to stay, but nothing has moved on from there and that is probably what leaves me in the situation I am in."

If Lampard leaves Chelsea, a possible home for the England midfielder could be Barcelona.